CANADA IN BRIEF | December 20, 2012

FREDERICTON (CP) — Members of the New Brunswick legislature have unanimously passed a motion stating their support for the construction of a pipeline to ship western crude oil to Eastern Canada.

Support is growing for a proposal that could see a pipeline carry oil from Alberta to the Irving Oil Refinery in Saint John.

Last week federal Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver toured the refinery and stated his government’s support for a pipeline project.

Oliver said as the United States increases its own oil and gas production, it’s vital for Canada to diversify its oil export markets and the west-to-east pipeline would help satisfy that goal.

Speaking in the legislature, Premier David Alward says the government is working towards a future where New Brunswick helps drive the national economy as one of the country’s energy powerhouses.

He says a key element of that is the construction of a pipeline.

N.B. Liberals want province to write to PM against EI change

FREDERICTON (CP) — New Brunswick’s Opposition Liberals are calling on members of the provincial government to sign a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper to oppose changes to employment insurance.

The changes to the EI program take effect Jan. 6, and Opposition Leader Victor Boudreau says they will have a devastating impact on seasonal industries and the provincial economy.

New regulations will mean that recipients of the program will face stricter, more complex rules for keeping their benefits.

Premier David Alward says he opposes the changes and supports the united position taken by the Atlantic premiers on the matter.

Boudreau says Alward is unwilling to send a clear message to Ottawa that could be seen as speaking out against the federal Conservatives and the prime minister.

Talks on Perth-Andover hospital project held

PERTH-ANDOVER, N.B. (CP) — A councillor in Perth-Andover says a meeting with New Brunswick Health Minister Hugh Flemming about a new hospital for the community went well.

Rick Beaulieu said the meeting on Tuesday gave council a chance to add its input to the early stages of planning for the hospital.

Beaulieu says planning is at an early stage so not much was discussed about services that would be offered.

He says they were able to tell the minister what they believe the community’s needs are and they were close to Flemming’s plans.

The New Brunswick government allocated some money in its recent capital budget to be spent on a new community hospital for Perth-Andover.

The government plans to spend more than $53 million on maintaining and improving health care infrastructure in 2013-14, which includes funding for the facility.

The lower level of Perth-Andover’s Hotel-Dieu Saint Joseph Hospital was flooded in March after ice jams caused the St. John River to spill its banks.

Beaulieu says council’s main goal is to offer stable health care services at the hospital, which means moving it away from the river.

Excavator leak leads to water restrictions in N.L. community

SOUTH BROOK, N.L. (CP) — The government of Newfoundland and Labrador says an excavator was working at a dam when it began leaking this week, causing restrictions to be placed on a town’s water use on the north coast of the province.

The water warning was issued for South Brook by the Environment Department on Monday because of a ruptured dam around a tailings pond at a former copper mine.

Environment Minister Tom Hedderson says it could take days or weeks for copper and zinc from the pond to travel downstream.

The province says an excavator was attempting to remove a boggy area at the bottom of the dam at the old Gullbridge mine when the leak happened.

Hedderson says there are factors that help protect the town’s water supply, including the fact it is 26 kilometres away from the dam and a nearby bog is absorbing some of the materials.

But Hedderson says there’s also a salmon river running through the area, which will have to be tested.

Engineers are looking at ways to repair the breach.

The town’s 500 residents are being told they can’t use their water for cooking, washing food, brushing teeth or making juices, baby formula and ice.

Mayor Paul Mills says residents are using water brought in by the municipality. It’s available at the town hall.

He said arrangements have been made for an ongoing supply of water until the dam is repaired.

Officials say it’s safe to use the water, which comes from the South Brook River, for bathing, washing clothes and dishes.

The department has said no contaminants have been found in the town’s drinking supply.

The town is on the Trans-Canada Highway, halfway between Deer Lake and Grand Falls-Windsor.

(VOCM)

N.L. town rejects proposal to bring addictions treatment centre to community

NORTHERN ARM, N.L. — The Newfoundland community of Northern Arm has rejected a proposal to bring an addictions treatment centre to the town.

In a vote of 6-1 at Tuesday’s council meeting, the town opposed the zoning change needed to move forward with the project.

Serenity on the Rock had purchased a former resort in the town to use as an addictions treatment facility.